


Erudition

by Ergoemos



Category: Provenance - Ann Leckie
Genre: 2018, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Republic of Two Systems Independence Day Exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-17 20:44:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14197365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ergoemos/pseuds/Ergoemos
Summary: This is part of my exchange with the Imperial Radch/Provenenance for the Republic of Two Systems Independence Day! For https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassyblue . Please excuse my bad spelling. I've listened to the audio books dozens of times, but alas, I haven't bought word-copies yet. I also wrote a second submission cause I am insecure and wanted to at least say I met the prompts halfway twice! (the prompt was "College AU Provenenance")Also, I am not sure how AU stories work, so I tried my best. When I read them, its always "same characters, different setting" but when I imagine them, all I can think of is "same basic plotline+characters/ different setting" so hope its alright!





	Erudition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cassyblue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassyblue/gifts).



> This is part of my exchange with the Imperial Radch/Provenenance for the Republic of Two Systems Independence Day! For https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassyblue . Please excuse my bad spelling. I've listened to the audio books dozens of times, but alas, I haven't bought word-copies yet. I also wrote a second submission cause I am insecure and wanted to at least say I met the prompts halfway twice! (the prompt was "College AU Provenenance")
> 
> Also, I am not sure how AU stories work, so I tried my best. When I read them, its always "same characters, different setting" but when I imagine them, all I can think of is "same basic plotline+characters/ different setting" so hope its alright!

Ingray settled into the uncomfortable seating of the small auditorium classroom, nodding to a couple of the people she knew and who were running even further behind than her, still making their way to a seat. The senior-level, Monday-Wednesday class, Environmental Equilibria in Aquatic Environments, was only on its second week, but Ingray was already excited that she’d found a way to make the rumored to be difficult and frustrating capstone project relevant to her interests, and even, maybe, something she could use to get a leg up for grad school. She was only a Junior, but she had hopes she’d graduate a year early.

Ingray, opened her binder that for this class, looking forward to finding out more details of the project, having already selected her mentor. 

As Ingray wrote the date at the top of the top clean sheet, as well as other details so she could keep her notes organized, the professor came in. Dedicated to making sure her lettering was neat and clean, like mama, and dean of the law school here at Hwai University, trained her to do, she didn’t notice the large, clear, plastic container the professor brought in. 

When Ingray did finally look up, she saw the professor was writing something on the board. Ingray squinted, trying to read the letters, before she was distracted by the professor. The professor didn’t look like Dr. Siilas. The words on the board read “DR. TIC UISINE”. 

“Hello Class. I am Doctor Tic Uisine, he/him pronouns. I am taking over for Doctor Tyr Siilas for the remainder of the course as you know. I am a recent transfer to Hwae, but this will not be my first time teaching. My specialty is Arthropods, in particular Arachnids. That said, most of my education and work has been on aquatic arthropods and if you think that someone who is specialized in animals cannot handle a class on biome homeostasis, I would ask you to keep your thoughts to yourself.” Ingray noted his stilted speech placed him as being foreign, but she couldn’t place the accent. 

“As you all know, by reading the email I sent you last week, Doctor Tyr will not be joining us for the semester due to some business that has taken his time.” Ingray swallowed, though hid her mild distress with her usual bright “attentive” expression. 

Ingray had the bad habit of not checking her emails unless she was expecting someone to contact her. And her phone was in her dorm room, plugged in because she’d forgotten to do so last night. 

She hoped this wouldn’t change the course’s mentorship and final project.

“As I also told you, the forms Doctor Siilas asked you to fill out would not suffice for the course. Thanks to those that responded, and had their mentors actually volunteer for the course, rather than force them as part of their capstone. Ingray Aucksgoald?” He paused, looking around the room, as if to determine if she was there. She gave a faint acknowledgement, pushing hair back out of her face that had fallen out of its braid, “- please see me after class.”

Ingray sunk into her seat a little more as she felt the stare of a dozen or so of her friends- no, her acquaintances that didn’t tell her about the assignment change - on her back.

Ingray barely paid attention as Doctor Uisine re-laid out what he planned the class to cover, more or less the same content on the syllabus, but with more emphasis on projects and less on quizzes and tests. Even so, he seemed rather engaging, if Ingray weren’t so concerned with why she was called out.

As everyone else gathered their things, Ingray took her time, knowing she was supposed to stay here. 

Doctor Uisine was erasing the whiteboard of various details about class projects and a lesson about identifying set points to watch in any given environment. Ingray didn’t approach loudly, still chagrined that she got called out. The large container that Doctor Uisine had brought to class was still there, a wide, two by four by one standard storage container. It was the kind of container someone would buy to fill with linens, or old books, to shove underneath a bed to be forgotten for a few years. 

This container did not contain books or linens. This container held two of the largest spiders that Ingray had ever seen.

They weren’t moving, but the pair of them were absolutely bigger than her hand. She could see them through the side of the container, the pair of them up against the plastic, on opposite sides, as if they were avoiding one another. 

“Ah, do you like spiders?” 

Ingray looked up to see Uisine had finished cleaning the board off and she kept her face as placid as she could. “Ah, I’ve never seen ones this big. What are these?” 

They still hadn’t moved, but they were so large, Ingray was certain that she might not believe it if they did. 

“They are Goliath Birdeater spiders,” He said, nonchalantly. “Well, their moulted carapace at least. I had a few extra and the biology department said they wanted to take a look at some. I had extra from the last set of moultings. So, I said that I would share with the department to study.”

“Ah.” Ingray had a hard time looking away from the very, very large spider moults. Even knowing they were just carapace, she was still afraid to ask more, worried that she might get invited to see the real specimens. “I’m Ingray Aucksgoald. She/her pronouns. You said you wanted… to see me?”

“Yes.” he paused and collected a few more things in his bag. “You were instructed by Doctor Siilas to select a grad student to help you with your class projects. I know this is Hwae University’s standard practice, a sort of hazing rites for grad students to help their underclassmen, but I do not like this practice of forcing students against their will to take on additional work. You did not respond to my messages?”

Ingray clutched the sheet of paper that held the form that Doctor Siilas requested, the one that named who she’d picked. “Ah, no,” she might as well be honest. It was clear she hadn’t. “No, I’ve been busy with other work and had forgotten to check my university email.”

“For… the last… week?” His emphasized points weren’t entirely unfair. Ingray was very bad about checking all her email accounts. “No matter. You have until tomorrow morning for the person you’ve selected to email me with their acceptance of being your mentor. Who did you select?” 

Ingray gripped the paper a little harder, it crinkled a little at her embarrassment, “I’d wanted Pahlad Budrakim to be my mentor.”

Palad was the child of the Hwae University president, famously kicked from the school’s prestigious doctoral program for accusations of trying to help members of the basketball team cheat somehow. Ingray had been surprised that e was still part of the university, but eir name was on Doctor Siilas’s list as a law student who could be a mentor. 

Ingray knew that picking em was a bit of a risk, but she wanted to use and learn more about what happened to help herself along. Ingray was Pre-law herself, but was majoring in Biology. Her mother, Netano Aucksgoald was the Dean of the Law College, but everyone knew she was aiming for the President’s spot. 

Ingray wanted to go into Law with a focus on environmentalism, because the college had a strong environmental protectionism non-profit, started by, yes, Ingray’s mom. It was always what Ingray had expected of her, and she didn’t want to disappoint. Her brother Danach was expected to inherit the family law firm and the political career.

“Okay,” Doctor Uisine said without recognition. “Did you ask Pahlad if e wanted to be your mentor?”

“No, but its tradition that-”

“I know what the university tradition is. I want you to go ask for eir permission and send eir acceptance to me via email anyway. I don’t like people being forced into work they don’t sign up for.” Unsaid, though Ingray was somewhat certain, was that Uisine has had to deal with that himself. “Did you really not check your email?”

Ingray looked again at the container with the moulted spider carapace. It looked like one of them moved, she was half certain. “I’ve ah, had trouble with my account.” She also needed to reset the password. Once she got her phone back. “Could I have until next week to-”

“Ms. Aucksgoald, The assignment was due today. I am sorry you had some communication errors, but I sent that email a week ago, before we missed Monday to a holiday. You should have told me if you needed more time before the class.”

Ingray swallowed, not sure where this left her. Would she just not get credit for the mentorship portion of the class? Wasn’t it 30% of the overall grade? Would she need to drop out, and take the course again? She’d never dropped a class before, and she could see her mother’s disappointed face already. 

“I want to see an email by tomorrow at noon from this Pahlad, that says that e is willing to be your mentor, or an email from someone else you’ve gotten approval from. Failing that, I will allow you to continue without a mentor, but you will lose 10% of your grade off the top and I won’t give you opportunity to make it up elsewhere.”

“But-” Ingray saw that this Doctor Uisine, though she didn’t know him very well, was very serious. Arguing wouldn’t change his mind, and would very likely make her look worse. “Understood. I-... I’ll go get eir permission.” She was expected to graduate with a 4.0. Losing 10% would make it practically impossible to do so. Anything less than a 4.0 may very well hurt her chances at making it into law school, either here or anywhere else her mother would find appropriately acceptable. “Thank you for the opportunity to fix this.”

“Don’t thank me. I am not really doing you any favors. Best of luck, Ingray.”

The spider, one of them, definitely did move. Ingray politely, and carefully, stepped back. “Your moult is, ah, moving.”

“Oh, so it is.” He said, looking down, “I was trying to not to startle you. This is not really the best way to transport these big little fellows, but I wouldn’t have time to go home between classes, and, well, she was going to probably eat her new egg sac if I left her alone today.”

“Interesting. I am going to go find Palad now.” Ingray wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to keep backing away or turn around and leave as quickly as possible. “Best of luck with that.” 

“Thank you. See you in class on Monday.” 

\---

Ingray talked to her friends in Housing to get a better idea of where Pahlad might be staying. Ingray technically could have stayed at home, rather than having a dorm room on campus, but her home was pretty empty most of the time anyway, and her mother encouraged her to make connections in all parts of the school’s administration. 

So Ingray found herself walking up to The CR. The CR stood for Campus Retreat, as a one time attempt to hype up an on campus dormitory for being hip, isolated, and good for people of all kinds to get away from campus properly so people could study. This meant about two blocks away from anything remotely useful, that the amenities were pretty terrible, and that the rent was cheap, but only compared to other campus living options. Off campus living was generally cheaper, and closer to anything useful. The CR was generally considered the first two letters of ‘crap’. 

Ingray didn’t even know graduate students could house in the CR, but she didn’t question it, even as she made the long walk there from Housing. She should have been having lunch, but she really wanted to get Pahlad on board first before making it to Introduction to Criminal Law at one, a her second law class - and one she wasn’t particularly excited for, like she usually enjoyed her biology classes.

The front door to the CR was open - literally, just propped open - with a sign on the door scanner that said “Broken”. Usually one had to scan their ID badge to get into housing areas for security but… As Ingray looked around the dull “modern” interior, she found that she could roam around pretty much wherever she wanted. 

So she scoured the three floors for Pahlad’s name on a dorm room, hoping she could catch him. She probably should have at least stopped by her dorm to get her phone, but she was hoping that with her eagerness to fix her mistake, providence might smile upon her. 

Pahlad, of course, was at the end of the hallway of the last place she checked and, having spent the last floor walking a little quicker than she ought to, she took a moment to breath, before knocking on the door, politely. His name was the only one on the room’s door, so she had hope that...

No answer. 

Ingray knocked again, louder, and was interrupted halfway through with a shouted, “Go Away,” muffled by the solid door. 

Ingray hesitated, before saying, her voice slightly raised to go through the door. “Pahlad Budrakim?”

“I said ‘go away’! I don’t care if you are one of his cronies, I am not going to class. Even if you have food.” 

Ingray blinked at that, trying to figure out what e was talking about. “Um… I am not anyone’s crony. My name is Ingray Aughskold. Listen… could I talk with you directly for a minute?”

Someone down the hallway was giving Ingray a nasty look, like they didn’t appreciate her interrupting their dreary CR lifestyle. 

She heard the sounds of someone moving inside the room, and the door opened, revealing Pahlad. E was a tall neman, with lanky and unkempt hair, and apparently still just wearing comfortable clothing. If e’d gone out today, Ingray would be surprised. Only during finals week did she see other college students out in about quite so, ah, casual like this.

“Ah.” She caught herself staring as e glowered down at her, “Like I said. I’m Ingray Aughskold. I’m a junior, taking a senior class though, and I am sure you probably don’t remember me, but-” she paused, realising she was rambling. “Well, I am trying to get a mentor from the graduate class, and your name was on a list.”

“Hmm. So now I am your mentor, as per Hwae University tradition?” 

“Well, that’s the thing. The professor wasn’t keen on forcing students, even older students, to be mentors. So, what I’d want… what I’d like is that you might volunteer to be my mentor.”

“No.” E shook eir head, and leaned against the open door, which allowed Ingray to see what a mess eir room was. Clothing everywhere, cables from an old game system strewn about, eaten but undiscarded containers of ramen stacked. “I am failing my classes this semester. You should find someone else. What did you say your name was?”

“But-. Ah, I am Ingray Aughskold, she/her pronouns. I really want you to be my mentor. I want to go into law school too, and I, well, I know a little about what happened to you, but I-”

“Ingray Aughskold… Are you Dean Aughskold’s daughter?” E frowned, as if e was trying to remember something.

“Ah, yes. Yes, I am.” 

“Hmph. And I suppose you wanted to see if you could learn more about what ‘little’ you already know about me? Something that could be used to help your mother’s hidden fight to become university president?”

Ingray didn’t say yes, but she tried to think of something quickly to fill in that gap. She was about to grasp at something before e gave a small chuff. 

“Ha, I thought so. No, Ingray. I won’t be your mentor.” 

“But… why?” Ingray was surprised, and a little frustrated. Normally, anyone could request someone to be their mentor. “You may not even have to do-”

“Nope.” E said, drawing the word out a bit, “I don’t even want to pass this semester, let alone get the extra credit. I found out that my scholarship is a scam, so now I plan to waste as much as possible. I won’t even be here in two months. You would be wasting your time. Good luck, Ingray, but not through me.” 

Ingray opened her mouth to protest, but the door was closing and she didn’t waste her breath. 

Ingray balled her fists, not really angry but frustrated. She’d had this idea… this shining thing that she might be able to talk to Pahlad about some of the other inner workings of the university, or, failing that, learn more about what happened. 

At the very least, e was the only law student that had been on Doctor Tyr’s list. Now she’d have to figure out what other graduate students were available, that hadn’t already been taken as a required part of hers or another class, or simply picked for mentorship. And she was now practically two weeks behind everyone else. 

It had been a dumb gambit, but as she brushed her slowly unbraiding hair from her face, she walked out of the CR, to head to her next class, feeling as miserable as the weather looked.

Her shoulder’s ached from the backpack full of binder’s she still doggedly tried to maintain for each class, and she was pretty certain it was going to rain. She walked back to the rest of civilized campus life and made her way into the big law auditorium. She was pretty familiar with it, given that her mother, Netano Aughskold gave her introductory speech to new students every semester here. Ingray had been to most of them, at least as a child. She stopped going once she was an actual student, so she could forge new connections. Her brother Danach still went, she thought, but he was better at schmoozing with the professors who usually went than she was. 

Ingray dodged her way into the building as the first drops of rain fell, nodding to a professor who specialized in Supreme Court rulings with a cheerful greeting, but let her face fall as she walked towards the class, wondering where she ought to sit for today. With auditorium seating, it didn’t really matter where she sat, so she usually picked somewhere in the middle-, close enough to answer questions if needed but far enough back to- 

“Ingray?”

She was brought out of her reverie by a voice not far into the room. Ingray looked up and saw that the person was… “Taucris?” 

Taucris was someone she’d graduated high school with, and was from the same area. They’d been friends, not super close, but good friends at the time in that still awkward high school students way. Taucris had yet to settle on their preferred pronouns at the time, and once they graduated, Ingray lost touch with them. 

Taucris smiled, seeming surprised but pleased that Ingray remembered them, “Ingray. It is you. I had thought I saw you the first week of classes, but when I sent an email to the address I had, it must have been an old one.” 

It wasn’t, Ingray just had one personal email. “Ah, no. I’ve just had some trouble with my email lately.” Ingray stepped over to where Taucris sat on the front row, “It's good to see you though. How did you end up here? I didn’t know you went to Hwae. And, ah, do you have preferred pronouns I can use for you?”

“It’s she/her today.” Taucris shook her head though, a little rueful as her bob haircut bounced a bit against her face. “But I am decidedly genderfluid. I’m sorry if it causes any inconvenience, but I’ll tell you when I feel it changes.” 

Ingray smiled, “No. No inconvenience at all. I am just glad you found what worked for you.” Ingray had decided during senior year. Not out of any hard preference, but because she’d been more or less expected to in order to make applying to colleges and the like easier, like her mother expected. 

“Thanks, Ingray. Anyway, I took a few years of community college, but they didn’t offer a full degree in criminal psychology or law enforcement so… I came here.”

“That makes sense. I am glad you are still interested in being in law enforcement. And to see you here, at Hwae!” Ingray was glad too. Taucris had always been friendly, they’d just lost touch when not in school together. 

“Thanks. What are you majoring in?” 

“Biology for now, but for Pre-Law.”

“Because of your mom?”

“Yeah. I do like the biology though. Last semester, we went out to the Parklands at night and categorized the nocturnal amphibians we found during that super-bright moon cycle. We got to camp out there and I lost my shoes halfway through the trip in mud.”

“Sounds… messy?”

“Yeah, it was a blast. But I need to take more law classes, for when I end up going to graduate school. And I made drop a course this semester, which means I will have to rework my whole schedule for the rest of my undergrad.”

“That’s terrible Ingray, what happened?” 

“Well-” 

“Alright everyone. I am going to start class now so if you would please find a seat?” Ingray gave an apologetic glance at Taucris and lumbered up the steps, her backpack feeling heavier by the minute. 

Ingray sat at the back of the class, at the easiest to access seat. She was only a little disappointed at this. She’d had hopes that she would really like this class, but her hopes were weak, at best. She wasn’t all that interested in criminal law, though she was determined to learn it and do as well or better than Danach, at least. She’d need to if she had to drop her class with Doctor Uisine. 

Still, having a class with Taucris would be nice. It would be good to catch up with her in general. 

After class, Taucris even waited for Ingray to pack up her things. “Interesting class, don’t you think?”

Ingray smiled, playing diplomatic, “It is. Who would have thought criminal law would be so complicated by jurisdictional boundaries, even at the same level of government.”

“Well, part of that really ties into how our government is structured by so many clearly defined but equally powerful district courts that… well, it interests me, at least, in that I want to work somewhere in the structure. It’s really good to see how some of the distinctions work.”

“For sure.” Ingray was glad one of them was enjoying it at least. It reminded her too much of the politics she already played between the colleges at this university. 

“So… where are you off to next?”

“Oh, probably to go get food. I skipped lunch.”

“Why for?”

Ingray sighed, “Well, that’s kind of a long story.”

“I have an hour between now and my next class. I could… go with you to get food.”

“I-” Ingray was surprised, not expecting Taucris to want to hear it, “That would be perfectly fine... as long as I am not inconveniencing you.”

“Not at all.” 

Ingray headed for the student center to get food, while Taucris followed and listened to the story. 

“So e didn’t seem interested in the extra credit?”

“No! Worse, e said e’d planned to fail this semester, and that e’d be gone soon enough. Which doesn’t make sense to me. Even if e has a gripe with eir father.”

Taucris ‘hmmm’ed in agreement, and said, “It does sound awfully political. Which, if you want to follow in Netano’s footsetps, is at least up your alley.” 

“I don’t even like dealing with the politics stuff, not really. It's just what I’ve been raised to do. I’ve never had much choice. What would you like to eat?”

“Oh, it's a little early for me. I am just burning time. What are you going to do? Drop the course?”

Ingray sighed and meandered over to the make-your-own-pasta place, her default when she had skipped a meal. It was filling and if she didn’t finish it, there was usually enough later for a small snack. “I don’t know exactly. It’s a shame. Uisine seems like an interesting professor, except for the spider thing. I don’t want to drop a class either, but starting with a 10% credit loss is already huge.”

“‘Spider... thing’?”

“Oh he brought this giant-” Ingray gestured, with little exaggeration, as to its size, “- bird-eating spider to class and tried to tell me it was a moult.” Taucris gave a visible shudder at this, her face reading like she was very glad not to be a biology major. “Anyway, I just wish I could…”

Ingray was next in line, and paused in her thoughts, considering. When they asked what she wanted, she replied, “I am going to get two orders of the same thing.”

Taucris spoke up, “No, don’t, Ingray. I am not very hungry, for one.” 

“It’s not for you. I was thinking about Pahlad.” 

All those empty ramen containers, and that comment ‘-Even if you have food’. 

Ingray made her order, paid with her student card and turned to Taucris, still trying to work out the details. She smiled, asking, “Come up with a plan?”

“Well… maybe. It may not work, but maybe I can convince him of a better vengeance, if he’s feeling spiteful.”

“Oh?” 

“Yeah. Mama always said that the best revenge is living well.”

“I thought revenge was best served cold?” Taucris said, slight amusement in her voice. 

Ingray grabbed the bag with her two dinners, “Well, hopefully I can convince Pahlad that sometimes it can be served hot with marinara. Do you mind if I-”

“No no, please. Go ahead. We can catch up later. Good luck!”

Ingray set out, even as it started to rain, back to the lonely hold of the CR.


End file.
